Voices of Recovery

Spiritual Principle a Day for June 14, read by Sophie X.Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comJune 14Faith in Spiritual Principles"Many of us use spiritual principles as a power greater than ourselves."—It Works, Step Two––––=––––We all have differing experiences with religion and belief when we arrive in NA. Some of us were raised in very religious families, attending mosque, temple, or church regularly, while others grew up in secular homes without much exposure to religion or spiritual matters. One member shared, “My parents were both scientists and atheists. In my family, exploring spirituality made me more of a rebel than using drugs did.” We may show up at our first meeting with an attitude of intolerance toward all things spiritual, thinking that ideas like “faith” are total rubbish. Others of us may have rejected the idea of spiritual principles because we associated them with the religion of our childhoods that failed to protect us from addiction. Or we came to NA with an open mind, eager to try something new—or desperate to find something that would work for us. Regardless of our past experience with spiritual or religious matters, we all have work to do when we get here. We all need to learn to live in a principled manner. On the surface, it might seem like faith in a Higher Power should come easier to those of us who grew up with strong convictions about what that Higher Power is. In reality, the ability to act in faith can have very little to do with our beliefs—secular or religious. Part of acting in faith is giving up the illusion of control. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, every principle discussed in this meditation book is a force beyond our control. We can allow the power of principled action to guide us, or we can struggle to use our own power to control our lives. Step Two does not say, “We came to believe in a Power greater than ourselves,” it says, “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” It doesn’t matter much whether we understand how or why; we consistently get better results from principled action than we do from self-will. As we experience the results of living by spiritual principles, we come to believe that sanity—peace of mind and connection to ourselves and others—is possible for us.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:There are countless forces in life that I may never fully grasp. I will place my faith in spiritual principles because I know they work, even if I don’t always know how or why.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 17, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 17Patience and Commitment to the Process"Having patience for discussion, or waiting until the next meeting before moving forward with a decision, saves the energy and goodwill lost when hasty actions have consequences."—Guiding Principles, Tradition Two, “For Groups”––––=––––The work we do in NA service is important. When we serve well, more addicts will have the chance to hear our message and find recovery. We make a huge difference in the lives of addicts. Our sense of urgency for helping addicts can go a long way in helping us to stay motivated to serve well. We strive to be efficient, thorough, and creative in our efforts.Lives are on the line, after all.In our efforts to be expedient, we run the risk of making mistakes. Adhering to our Traditions, local laws, and good old-fashioned common sense may require careful planning, consideration, and, sometimes, lengthy discussion. Seemingly endless debates can put our “principles before personalities” muscles to the test. The more complicated things get, the more difficult it is to communicate well.We want answers and solutions as soon as possible. If an idea requires more time and thought than we want to give, we either dismiss it out of hand or throw caution to the wind and just do it. In both cases, we are doing ourselves—and NA—a disservice. Scrapping a good idea we don’t want to think through can mean missing out on a chance to reach more addicts. Putting a half-baked idea into action can lead to unexpected complications or consequences.Patience is more than simply waiting things out; it’s making the commitment to be present through the process. When we devote time and mental energy to challenging discussions— even when they’re mind-numbingly tedious—we honor ourselves, our fellow trusted servants, and the addicts yet to hear our message.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Patience is more than just waiting for something to be done. In my service, I will commit to being present for the process.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for December 17, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 17Service motives"Everything that occurs in the course of NA service must be motivated by the desire to more successfully carry the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers."Basic Text p. xvi––––=––––Our motives are often a surprise to us. In our early days of recovery, they were almost always a surprise! We've learned to check our motives through prayer, meditation, the steps, and talking to our sponsor or other addicts. When we find ourselves with an especially strong urge to do or have something, it's particularly important to check our motives to find out what we really want.In early recovery, many of us throw ourselves into service with great fervor before we have started the regular practice of motive-checking. It takes awhile before we become aware of the real reasons for our zeal. We may want to impress others, show off our talents, or be recognized and important. Now, these desires may not be harmful in another setting, expressed through another outlet. In NA service, however, they can do serious damage.When we decide to serve NA, we make a decision to help addicts find and maintain recovery. We have to carefully check our motives in service, remembering that it's much easier to frighten away using addicts than to convince them to stay. When we show them game-playing, manipulation, or pomposity, we present an unattractive picture of recovery; however, the unselfish desire to serve others creates an atmosphere that is attractive to the addict who still suffers.––––=––––Just for today:I will check my motives for the true spirit of service. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 16, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 16Embracing the Spirit of Generosity"Giving generously of ourselves, especially when we are in pain, is a path through some of our sorrow and confusion."—Living Clean, Chapter 4, “Death, Dying, and Living with Grief”––––=––––The connection between generosity and pain may not seem obvious right away. However, early recovery is a good example of how giving of ourselves can help us endure pain and discomfort. When we first get clean, some of us find we’re grieving many losses: our self- respect, our sense of self, the lifestyle and image that defined us, our relationship with drugs, and people we used with. Some of us come to NA mourning the loss of friends or family members to the disease. No one arrives to NA pain-free, but all of us who stay find some relief—usually by our active participation in NA.“I hardly knew what to do with myself when I got clean,” one member shared. “I felt like an exposed nerve. Before and after meetings, I’d help with anything that needed to be done— handing out reading cards, taking out the trash, stacking chairs. Helping the trusted servants made me feel better.”Generosity gets us out of ourselves. We stop focusing on our every thought and emotion and instead turn our attention to those around us. Even when we’re in pain or discomfort, generosity helps us do something good when we don’t know what else to do. Giving as a diversion from desperation is not necessarily the whole solution. Postponing feelings doesn’t make them go away, but a brief respite can renew our energy or refresh our thinking so that we can apply other solutions as well. Perhaps most importantly, in helping others, we can find the willingness to accept help. Life is difficult, but we are not alone—we have each other.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Grief, pain, hardship, and sorrow are all natural parts of life. To find my way through difficulties, I will embrace the spirit of generosity I find in NA. I will help others and allow them to help me.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for December 16, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 16Where there's smoke..."Complacency is the enemy of members with substantial clean time. If we remain complacent for long, the recovery process ceases."Basic Text p. 80––––=––––Recognizing complacency in our recovery is like seeing smoke in a room. The "smoke" thickens when our meeting attendance drops, contact with newcomers decreases, or relations with our sponsor aren't maintained. With continued complacency; we won't be able to see through the smoke to find our way out. Only our immediate response will prevent an inferno.We must learn to recognize the smoke of complacency. In NA, we have all the help we need to do that. We need to spend time with other recovering addicts because they may detect our complacency before we do. Newcomers will remind us of how painful active addiction can be. Our sponsor will help us remain focused, and recovery literature kept in easy reach can be used to extinguish the small flare-ups that happen from time to time. Regular participation in our recovery will surely enable us to see that wisp of smoke long before it becomes a major inferno.––––=––––Just for today:I will participate in the full range of my recovery; my commitment to NA is just as strong today as it was in the beginning of my recovery. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Continuing our December series, “Illness in Recovery,” is the deeply inspiring story of Paul—a man whose strong foundation in recovery became the very thing that sustains him through progressive illness.Paul grew up in a large family with parents who were working professionals, raised in an environment of structure, opportunity, and expectation. Yet from an early age, Paul knew exactly what he wanted—to get high. With easy access to drugs and alcohol, his disease took hold early. By elementary school he was using daily, in middle school he was high every day, and by high school he was drunk every day. Intelligent and quick, he learned how to pass tests without doing the work, coasting through high school, college, and graduate school while quietly feeding a relentless addiction.On the surface, Paul built a professional career and a life that appeared successful. Beneath it, he was unraveling—drinking throughout the day, using just to function, and moving through life hungover and disconnected. He cycled through rehabs and detoxes, his longest clean stretch barely 28 days. He attended meetings while still intoxicated, masked the smell of alcohol, and celebrated others’ recovery while continuing to use himself. Even so, he married, became a father to three children, and tried to hold everything together.Eventually, the illusion collapsed. Paul credits a judge with saving his life—creating a moment of clarity that brought him into the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous with a willingness he had never known before. This time, something changed. He stayed. He went to meetings daily for years, built relationships, worked the program, and established a recovery strong enough to carry him forward.With about 14 years clean, Paul’s wife noticed changes in his movement. After numerous tests and misdiagnoses, he was finally diagnosed with a progressive, degenerative neurological disease with no cure and no treatment. Once fully able-bodied, Paul now uses a wheelchair—but the fellowship he committed to long before his diagnosis showed up in powerful ways. His home group raised funds to install a chair lift so he could continue attending meetings, and friends consistently make sure he can remain connected to the rooms.Today, Paul remains deeply engaged in recovery. He is part of a tight-knit group of men who study the literature together weekly, stays focused on the newcomer, and continues to show up with humility and purpose. Despite hearing loss, physical decline, and the realities of illness, Paul’s recovery has never wavered. He insists that life did not have to be this good—and simply by being present, he gives hope to everyone around him, one day at a time.

Just for Today meditation for December 15, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 15The joy of sharing"There is a spiritual principle of giving away what we have been given in Narcotics Anonymous in order to keep it. By helping others to stay clean, we enjoy the benefit of the spiritual wealth that we have found."Basic Text p. 47––––=––––Time and again in our recovery, others have freely shared with us what was freely shared with them. Perhaps we were the recipients of a Twelfth Step call. Maybe someone picked us up and took us to our first meeting. It could be that someone bought us dinner when we were new. All of us have been given time, attention, and love by our fellow members. We may have asked someone, "What can I do to repay you?" And the answer we received was probably a suggestion that we do the same for a newer member when we were able.As we maintain our clean time and recovery, we find ourselves wanting to do for others the things that someone did for us, and happy that we can. If we heard the message while in a hospital or institution, we can join our local H&I subcommittee.Perhaps we can volunteer on the NA help line. Or we can give of our time, attention, and love to a newcomer we are trying to help.We've been given much in our recovery. One of the greatest of these gifts is the privilege of sharing with others what's been shared with us, with no expectation of reward. It's a joy to find we have something that can be of use to others, and that joy is multiplied when we share it. Today we can do so, freely and gratefully.––––=––––Just for today:I have been given much in my recovery, and I am deeply grateful for it. I will take joy in being able to share it with others as freely as it was shared with me. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 15, read by Paul\Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 15Perseverance and the First Step "The process of recovery isn’t easy. It takes great courage and perseverance in recovery day after day."—It Works, Step One ––––=––––The gift of desperation gets many of us through the door and propels us into the footwork of early recovery. If we’re very lucky, we might experience a bit of elation and optimism sometimes referred to as a “pink cloud” in the first weeks of recovery. Enjoy it while it lasts! In time, the challenges of life in recovery present themselves. Some of us have faced a lifetime of difficulties so we’re no strangers to trouble. The difficulties we face in recovery have a different feel to them, however. As one member described it: “I could see a light at the end of the tunnel and I knew it wasn’t a train coming the other way.” Inspired by that light—our faith that our efforts will pay off—we persevere by putting one foot in front of the other. A foundation in recovery helps us to endure life’s difficulties. Even with some time clean, our choices don’t always pan out. Working a program doesn’t make us immune from life’s struggles: Financial problems, relationship trouble, health concerns, and housing instability plague clean addicts, too. We try to be honest and reflective, owning our part in the problems that come our way. The disease may rear its ugly head during tough times. We might be drawn to act out in new ways, reaching outside of ourselves to soothe the angst within. Our character defects sometimes put on new disguises and find different hiding places. We hit new lows clean. The good news is that our tolerance for spiritual or emotional pain lessens over time, so we’re quicker to get into the solution. We know the Twelve Steps are a reliable source of relief. We return to the First Step again and again and surrender in different areas of our lives. It takes guts to face the various manifestations of our disease. We summon the necessary courage and persist. ––––=––––Spiritual Principle: I will be steadfast in my recovery and have the courage to look at where the disease is showing up today. Where do I need to apply Step One in my life now?––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 14, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 14Imperfection, Humanity, and Humility"Beyond our addiction, we are human beings: members of society who have gifts and flaws like everyone else."—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Friendship”––––=––––We are recovering addicts with the disease of addiction. This is not news.We have pasts (do we ever!), the present (especially when we can be in it), and futures (hopefully). We have attractions, virtues, and abilities, and yet we have limitations, vices, and liabilities. We do good in the world—sometimes a lot of it. We also make mistakes— sometimes horrendous ones.We’ve been shaped by our cultures, societies, and environments. We have religious beliefs or nonreligious ones. We have relationships, jobs, interests, causes, ailments. We have multiples of any and all of these. None of these elements completely defines us. Instead, they make us human.As addicts, we tend to focus more on what’s wrong with us than what’s right. But we are no more flawed than other people, even nonaddicts. We are not pathological, nor are we deserving of stigma because of our addiction.Being an addict is only one aspect of our humanity. Through working the Twelve Steps, we learn that the story of our drug use isn’t as important as the one we create in our recovery.We have the opportunity to identify our gifts as well as our flaws, and we come to understand that our flaws do not negate those gifts. This concept is the core of humility.Some of us really grapple with perfectionism as one of our character defects. But we are all imperfect because we are human. Recovery won’t make us perfect because perfection doesn’t exist. It can, however, help us humbly embrace our humanity.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will honestly assess where I fall short and accept that I’m imperfect, like everybody else. My aim is to lead with my assets—with humility.

Just for Today meditation for December 14, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 14Addiction, drugs, and recovery"Addiction is a physical, mental, and spiritual disease that affects every area of our lives."Basic Text p. 20––––=––––Before we started using, most of us had a stereotype, a mental image of what addicts were supposed to look like. Some of us pictured a junkie robbing convenience markets for drug money. Others imagined a paranoid recluse peering at life from behind perpetually drawn drapes and locked doors. As long as we didn't fit any of the stereotypes, we thought, we couldn't be addicts.As our using progressed, we discarded those misconceptions about addiction, only to come up with another: the idea that addiction was about drugs. We may have thought addiction meant a physical habit, believing any drug that didn't produce physical habituation was not "addictive." Or we thought the drugs we took were causing all our problems. We thought that merely getting rid of the drugs would restore sanity to our lives.One of the most important lessons we learn in Narcotics Anonymous is that addiction is much more than the drugs we used. Addiction is a part of us; it's an illness that involves every area of our lives, with or without drugs. We can see its effects on our thoughts, our feelings, and our behavior, even after we stop using. Because of this, we need a solution that works to repair every area of our lives: the Twelve Steps.––––=––––Just for today:Addiction is not a simple disease, but it has a simple solution. Today, I will live in that solution: the Twelve Steps of recovery. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 13, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 13Individuality and Our Spiritual Awakenings"The idea of a spiritual awakening takes many different forms in the different personalities that we find in the Fellowship."—Basic Text, Chapter 4,––––=––––“Step Twelve” Step Twelve speaks of the spiritual awakening we have as a result of working the Steps. By the time most of us begin our work on Step Twelve, we typically have had any number of awakenings of a spiritual nature. Some awakenings might seem small, like recognizing an asset we’ve never noticed when we write our Step Four inventory. Other awakenings are more profound, like realizing how a handful of behavior patterns all trace back to a particular character defect we are just now coming to understand. As long as we keep moving through the Steps, we will continue learning about ourselves.The Basic Text mentions that we differ in degree of sickness and rate of recovery, so it stands to reason that the types of awakenings each of us needs may be quite different, as well. We all have our own stories, including how we got here and where we are going.Hearing others share about their awakenings can be inspiring and instructive, but having our own experiences—even if they differ from what we hear others share—is what really matters. If we wait to have the same experience we hear others share, we may be disappointed. Worse yet, we may miss what’s happening in our own heart and spirit if we look only for what others have described to us, rather than seeing what we see for ourselves.The prospect of having a spiritual awakening that is truly our own can be both awe-inspiring and intimidating. While our awakenings may not be identical to anyone else’s, the better we get to know the truth of our own experiences, the better we will be able to recognize the truth shared with us by fellow addicts. We are each on our own journey, but much of the terrain we cover is the same.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:The awakenings we experience in the Steps may be different, but the message we carry is the same. I will honor the truth of my own awakenings as well as those shared by fellow NA members.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for December 13, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 13Membership"There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using."Basic Text p. 9––––=––––We all know people who could benefit from Narcotics Anonymous. Many people we encounter from all walks of life-our family members, old friends, and co-workers- could really use a program of recovery in their lives. Sadly, those who need us don't always find their way to our rooms.NA is a program of attraction, not promotion. We are only members when we say we are. We can bring our friends and loved ones to a meeting if they are willing, but we cannot force them to embrace the way of life that has given us freedom from active addiction.Membership in Narcotics Anonymous is a highly personal decision. The choice to become a member is made in the heart of each individual addict. In the long run, coerced meeting attendance doesn't keep too many addicts in our rooms. Only addicts who are still suffering, if given the opportunity, can decide if they are powerless over their addiction. We can carry the message, but we can't carry the addict.––––=––––Just for today:I am grateful for my decision to become a member of Narcotics Anonymous. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 12, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 12Principles and Purpose Are Portable"Being able to focus on a primary purpose and work creatively toward it is so much part of our way of life that we may not realize how valued that is in the world at large."—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Bridging Two Worlds: Relationships Outside NA”––––=––––The idea that what we learn in recovery applies outside NA is not revolutionary or even surprising. There is plenty to be said about how the things we do in NA—our tools, our principles, our primary orientation toward helping others—transfer easily to other contexts and is often appreciated. We have Steps that guide us, in essence, to clear the way so we can be of service to others. The principles within the Traditions challenge us to work with integrity, goodwill, and discernment in groups and within structures. Convening around a primary purpose helps us to stay oriented and in alignment with each other. The concept of “principles before personalities” guides us through conflict when it inevitably arises.Each of us learns these transferable skills, embodying qualities that can support many different types of structures: a family, a business, a community or faith organization, even a one-on-one relationship, romantic or otherwise. Our value as members of NA extends to our value outside. Being oriented toward generosity, kindness, responsibility, perseverance, and, of course, gratitude in all our affairs enriches our lives and touches others’ lives. Some people outside NA may know we’re recovering from addiction, but others do not. Either way, what they often see is a person who is able to act with love rather than fear, can handle adversity, and is willing to help others when tragedy strikes.As great as the above description sounds—and as true as it often is—none of this is possible without actually practicing the principles of NA and using the tools of our program. As we often declare in meetings, “It works if you work it.” But it doesn’t when we don’t. Working the Steps and Traditions helps prepare us to serve beyond NA. And we know that when we make mistakes, in NA and outside of it, we always have each other’s experience, strength, and hope to rely on to help us get back on course.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:How am I applying what I’ve been learning in NA to other parts of my life, and what can I do today to further that purpose?––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

December 12: Just for Today meditation, read by PaulJust for Today meditation for December 12, read by PaulDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 12Fear of change"By working the steps, we come to accept a Higher Power's will.... We lose our fear of the unknown. We are set free."Basic Text p. 16––––=––––Life is a series of changes, both large and small. Although we may know and accept this fact intellectually, chances are that our initial emotional reaction to change is fear. For some reason, we assume that each and every change is going to hurt, causing us to be miserable.If we look back on the changes that have happened in our lives, we'll find that most of them have been for the best. We were probably very frightened at the prospect of life without drugs, yet it's the best thing that's ever happened to us. Perhaps we've lost a job that we thought we'd die without, but later on we found greater challenge and personal fulfillment in a new career. As we venture forth in our recovery, we're likely to experience more changes. We will outgrow old situations and become ready for new ones.With all sorts of changes taking place, it's only natural to grab hold of something, anything familiar and try to hold on. Solace can be found in a Power greater than ourselves. The more we allow changes to happen at the direction of our Higher Power, the more we'll trust that those changes are for the best. Faith will replace fear, and we'll know in our hearts that all will be well.––––=––––Just for today:When I am afraid of a change in my life, I will take comfort from knowing that God's will for me is good. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for December 11, read by DebbieDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 11Misery is optional"No one is forcing us to give up our misery."Basic Text p. 29––––=––––It's funny to remember how reluctant we once were to surrender to recovery. We seemed to think we had wonderful, fulfilling lives as using addicts and that giving up our drugs would be worse than serving a life sentence at hard labor. In reality, the opposite was true: Our lives were miserable, but we were afraid to trade that familiar misery for the uncertainties of recovery.It's possible to be miserable in recovery, too, though it's not necessary. No one will force us to work the steps, go to meetings, or work with a sponsor. There is no NA militia that will force us to do the things that will free us from pain. But we do have a choice. We've already chosen to give up the misery of active addiction for the sanity of recovery. Now, if we're ready to exchange today's misery for even greater peace, we have a means to do just that-if we really want to.––––=––––Just for today:I don't have to be miserable unless I really want to be. Today, I will trade in my misery for the benefits of recovery. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 11, read by DebbieDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 11Creative Action Can Be an Inside Job"Creative action is not a mysterious procedure, although it is an inside job in rebuilding or reintegrating our disordered and fractured personalities."—IP #5: Another Look, “Addiction is not a way of life.”––––=––––Active addiction is a mess—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual disorder in the flesh. There isn’t enough room on this page to list what we lose or risk losing while we’re using: our health and well-being, our loved ones, our freedom, our minds, and . . . our keys! We’ve all been there.We also lose ourselves. Which selves? Exactly. Which, indeed. In the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, we often hear members say, “Out there, I was a chameleon.” While we were using, we changed our behavior, even our personalities—from situation to situation—to meet our self-centered ends, to survive. That’s some masterful creativity for sure.As with all of our defects, if we flip the coin over, there’s an asset on the other side. We can be as curious and adaptable as we are manipulative and self-seeking. By the same token, just as we used our creativity to survive, we can rely on it now to rebuild our lives from the inside.When we’re clean, our creative efforts aren’t squandered away on hiding who we are. We don’t have to waste energy developing new strategies to get what we want at the cost of our sanity and everything else we stand to lose. Instead, we take a creative approach to our program of recovery and change it up when we need a reboot.In working Steps, we learn who we are, who we’re not, and who we want to be. Through sharing and listening to other members, we can figure out what’s broken in us, which parts can realistically be glued back together, and which can be tossed in the bin. As a result, we learn how to express who we are with integrity. We get to be our true selves in relationships with others—and in the ways we dig into work, our interests, and service.Some of us even find creative ways to keep track of those bloody keys!––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will look at what’s messy or broken inside me and use my imagination to identify what I could do to create some order and serenity in this brain of mine! Spiritual Principle: Today I will give back some of the unconditional love I received—to a sponsee, my sponsor, or any addict who needs it.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 10, read by DebbieDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 10A Focus on We Brings Out the Best in Me"Tradition One asks us to shift our perspective. For the first time, “we” comes before “me.”"—Guiding Principles, Tradition One, “For Members”––––=––––Each and every addict who comes to NA and hears a message is able to do so only as the direct result of members serving NA. Plenty of NA literature discusses the paradox of keeping what we have by giving it away, and our Traditions outline a practical guide for doing so. As this Tradition One quotation indicates, it starts by thinking about the good of the group before thinking of ourselves.As addicts, putting anything ahead of ourselves is a foreign concept. Some of the first things we do in NA are perfect practice for this. “In my first year, I never wanted to share,” one member wrote. “A home-group member told me that I had to start opening my mouth or I would be stealing. I thought I had nothing to offer, but when I shared, I realized it wasn’t about me.” Being part of NA by sharing or taking service commitments helps us, but it’s not just for us—when we share in a meeting, when we show up early to set up chairs, we are actively participating in the common welfare of NA.The same holds true as we gain cleantime. One member shared, “When I had a few years clean, I told my sponsor that all the meetings I had been going to were pretty bad lately. My sponsor suggested I start focusing on what I was bringing to the meeting instead of what I was getting out of it . . . and wouldn’t you know, suddenly I was going to a lot of good meetings!”Contributing to our common welfare lets us “be the we.” We focus on giving instead of getting—at the group level and beyond—and we find that the way we experience recovery gets better and better.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Shifting the focus from “me” to “we” doesn’t mean disappearing from the picture. I will bring the best of me to NA so that WE will all do much better as a result.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for December 10, read by DebbieDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 10Winners"I started to imitate some of the things the winners were doing. I got caught up in NA. I felt good...."Basic Text p. 223––––=––––We often hear it said in meetings that we should "stick with the winners." Who are the winners in Narcotics Anonymous? Winners are easily identified. They work an active program of recovery, living in the solution and staying out of the problem.Winners are always ready to reach their hands out to the newcomer. They have sponsors and work with those sponsors. Winners stay clean, just for today.Winners are recovering addicts who keep a positive frame of mind. They may be going through troubled times, but they still attend meetings and share openly about it. Winners know in their hearts that, with the help of a Higher Power, nothing will come along that is too much to handle.Winners strive for unity in their service efforts. Winners practice putting "principles before personalities." Winners remember the principle of anonymity, doing the principled action no matter who is involved. Winners keep a sense of humor. Winners have the ability to laugh at themselves. And when winners laugh, they laugh with you, not at you.Who are the winners in Narcotics Anonymous? Any one of us can be considered a winner. All of us exhibit some of the traits of the winner; sometimes we come very close to the ideal, sometimes we don't. If we are clean today and working our program to the best of our ability, we are winners!––––=––––Just for today:I will strive to fulfill my ideals. I will be a winner.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for December 9, read by DebbieDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 9If It’s Not Practical, It’s Not Spiritual"Our part . . . is to do the very best we can each day, showing up for life and doing what’s put in front of us. . . . We promise to do the best we can—not to fake it, not to pretend to be superhuman, but simply to do the footwork of recovery."—Just for Today, “The recovery partnership,” February 18––––=––––“If it’s not practical, it’s not spiritual.” Many of us have heard this before, but what does this mean exactly?For starters, we can focus on living just for today as a practical matter. Instead of dwelling on regrets about the past and fears of what’s ahead, we focus on what’s right in front of us.As one member put it, “I concentrate on this day, and it frees me up to participate in my own life and recovery.” We may plot our days in a particular direction, but we trust a loving power greater than ourselves with the outcome. Another member shared this strategy: “I ask myself, ‘Where are my feet?’ And then proceed to move one of them in front of the other.”We do our best. (How’s that for practical?!) We follow through on what we can handle in the here and now, and shake off the impulse to achieve perfection. We learn our limits and work within them. Satisfaction comes from putting forth our best effort, even when we fall short of our goals. “To quiet my inner critic, I often need to reassure myself that I’ve done my best,” one member shared. Another added: “When I feel good about what I’m doing, it’s easier to dismiss other people’s opinions of me.”Staying grounded with some practical, daily footwork improves our lives. “I learned everything I need to know about how to stay clean in my first 30 days around here. You people told me, ‘Go to lots of meetings and don’t take anything in between.’ It sounded simple enough. ‘If you don’t pick up, you can’t get high.’ I thought these people were geniuses. ‘Read the book. Get a sponsor. Work the Steps.’ I followed this advice in the beginning, and it kept me clean. I follow this advice now because it keeps me in the solution.”––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will do my best today. I will do the footwork and accept that it’s enough and that I’m enough.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for December 9, read by DebbieDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.comDecember 9Listening"This ability to listen is a gift and grows as we grow spiritually. Life takes on a new meaning when we open ourselves to this gift."Basic Text p. 102––––=––––Have you ever watched two small children carry on a conversation? One will be talking about purple dragons while the other carries on about the discomfort caused by having sand in one's shoes. We sometimes encounter the same communication problems as we learn to listen to others. We may struggle through meetings, trying desperately to hear the person sharing while our minds are busy planning what we will say when it's our turn to speak. In conversation, we may suddenly realize that our answers have nothing to do with the questions we're being asked. They are, instead, speeches prepared while in the grip of our self-obsession.Learning how to listen-really listen-is a difficult task, but one that's not beyond our reach. We might begin by acknowledging in our replies what our conversational partner is saying. We might ask if there is anything we can do to help when someone expresses a problem. With a little practice, we can find greater freedom from self- obsession and closer contact with the people in our lives.––––=––––Just for today:I will quiet my own thoughts and listen to what someone else is saying. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom